


Always Learning

by magnessina



Series: Rumbelle Showdown 2014 [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Rumbelle Showdown 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-10 22:22:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2042439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnessina/pseuds/magnessina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set some time in season 2. Belle's having hard time getting used to all those fancy things the modern world's got to offer. Thank God, she's got her Rumple, too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Learning

**Author's Note:**

> My entry for Rumbelle Showdown 2014, round 1: Rain falling upward, Belle ponders Gold, Darkness light softness

The blood-curdling scream alarms Rumplestiltskin immediately.

He knows this voice.

He has heard it many, _many_ times since the curse broke; it sometimes wakes him up and he never goes back to sleep, determined to protect her from her nightmares.

His Belle. His darling, beautiful Belle, who has come back to him. Who was actually _given_ back to him, for which he will be forever grateful.

Not many people get the chance to tell the people they lost that they love them. He did. And he is not going to mess it up.

Not again.

He stands up and rushes to the garden, from where the scream came, as fast as the limp allows him to. He’s anxious; the nightmares has got a little bit better recently, but he doubts his Belle fell asleep so early in the evening.

In the garden, no less.

He wonders if Regina dared approach her; if she did, she is even more stupid than he thought her to be. She should know better than to cross him.

Rumplestiltskin did, after all, express rather explicitly his wish to leave Belle the hell alone.

The Queen is going to pay if she hurt her again.

When he reaches the back door, he looks around worriedly.

After what feels like an eternity, he spots Belle.

His darling Beauty, soaking wet and looking like a total mess.

“Rumple,” she gasps when she sees him. “What sort of magic is _that_?” He blinks, not understanding what she means.

And why she’s so wet.

“Why on earth is the rain falling upwards?”

The realisation dawns on him, and he is doing his best not to laugh like a delusional maniac when she points at the irrigation sprinklers. He must’ve forgotten to show her these and explain how they worked; he also must’ve forgotten that he’s got them set to automatically start every evening at six.

Well, he’s more than three hundred years old; such details are bound to escape him.

“These sprinklers make sure that the grass is well irrigated, dear. It thus stays green and beautiful all summer. I really can’t be bothered to do it on my own so the system remembers about watering it for me.”

“You mean to tell me it’s not magic?”

“No, sweetheart. It’s one of the perks of this world.”

“Oh my god,” Belle groans, looking at her soaked clothing. “I begin to think this new realm will never cease to surprise me. Or make an idiot out of me. Or both.”

“I know it can be overwhelming at times, love” Rumplestiltskin takes her hand in his and kisses it gently. “But you’re doing splendidly, trust me. I’m going to draw you a bath, hmm? We don’t want you to catch a cold.”

“Thank you,” she smiles at him. Every time Belle does so, he looks at her as if he couldn’t quite comprehend she was with him again. It always takes her breath away.

As he disappears back in the house, Belle takes her time to join him in the bathroom. Now that Rumple explained the situation to her, she can’t help but chuckle. He must’ve been dying inside when he saw her all wet and horrified because of… _sprinklers._

He’s so patient with her. So gentle. He keeps apologising to her, despite the fact he hasn’t got a reason to.

The only thing that truly matters is that they got a second chance to be together.

Belle is also happy that she got so used to his new image. She fell in love with green skin, lizard-like eyes and manic giggles; Mr Gold does not resemble the Dark One from the Enchanted Forest at all, with his beautifully dignified features, soft voice and perfectly tailored suits. It is quite reassuring to realise that his looks, the pitch of his voice and clothing don’t matter at all – she loves him all the same.

Well, all these things don’t hurt, obviously. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t madly attracted to both of them, to the Dark One from the Enchanted Forest and to Mr Gold from Storybrooke. But she loves what’s _inside_ of him.

That means it really is True Love.

He told her he didn’t deserve her. That he was darkness that would slowly but surely consume her light and ruin her completely. But she can’t bring herself to believe him. When she looks into his eyes she doesn’t see harsh edges; she sees softness and love.

She sees good in him.

Rumple’s voice snaps her out of her thoughts.

“Aren’t you coming, love?” he asks her, smiling gently.

“Will you care to join me?”

“I don’t know if I should.” She shakes her head, beaming at him. Rumple’s still worried about her mental state and whether he’s not using her fragility.

Silly man. She practically forced herself upon him the first night they spent together; Belle doesn’t know how clearer a woman can possibly be.

“Just magic me tons of those marvellous bubbles you showed me the other night and I’m sure I’ll find some space in the bathtub for you.”

“As you wish, my lady,” he chuckles.

They are going to be okay.


End file.
